Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-04-07

Wilmington, THURSDAY, April 7. 1887
Divorce Liquidation.
A Denton, Nd, inquirer writes to be
informed II there is no way known to
Delaware practice, other than Legislative
enactment, by which husbands and wives
seeking relief from marital infelieity can
DO unyoked. We would answer that there
il. Tho superior court is empowered to
giant divorces for variety of causes
and there Is a statutory enactment that
no petition for a divorce for causes cog
nizabls by the court shall be received or |
acted on by the General Assembly. A
persistent effort was made by some mem
hers Of the General Assembly Of 1881
10 i've up to this enactment; but
thirteen divorces were granted by that
body, Notwithstanding. How many our
correspondent imagines have been granted
by the present legislature We cannot con-
lecture possibly hundreds, for he writes
II do not think there have been az many
divorces decreed in this (oAroline) county
ia 20 years as your legislature grinds out
In an evening session." The fact is that
up to date the total number foots up only
nineteen. The Denton man has perhaps
mistaken every reading of a divorce bill
for its passage; while every such bill,
like other measures of Legislation, is given
three readings and is considered and acted
upcn.in committee Of the house in which
il originated before its passage through
that House, and 1t afterwards goes
through the same routine and runs the
same gauntlet of committee in the other
House before 1t becomes q fnality. The
committees also hear and weigh the testi-
mony of witnesses pro and con before
reporting on any application Of the kind
And, as rule, only those applications
which are granted catch the eye of thu
reader, who overlooks the fact that mani
petitions for divorce are dismissed by thu
committee after preliminary hearing ant
without even reaching the initiatory stag
Of being Incorporated in bill.
Il Is not difficult for persons at dis
lance to fall into the idea that divorce i
being made too easy by Legislative
assembly. wste such persons present OF
~ the ground and cognizent Of the harrow
ing, sickening, brutal details Of most O
the successful cases, they would be YER
apt to change their minds. We have me
In the General Assembly strenuously OF
posed TO divorces in general; men VIII
hold the marriage vow to be sacredl
binding for worse as we'll for better
men who keep pretty well intorme
as to the merits of each cal
and who would raise their voic
against any attempt to dissolve ma
riage for trivial reason. These men {
not vote for divorces; they simply refra
from voting against what appear to the
meritorious cases, while an unjustifiat
case would soon arouse their earnest {
position. And, being on the grour
these anti-divorce members can be trust
to know better when to oppose su
measures than any one else can tell the
It has been said before and with trr
that the Delaware Legislature of lS
averages high. Its members are neal
all men strong in common sense and
dependent earnestness Of conviction.
one will claim that they do not son
times make mistakes; that they may l
occasionally be deceived in divorce leg
lstion as in other measures, but tn
constituents may rest assured that
auch cases coming before them
sharply scrutinized that it takes an
s.gspl,,riy WHY man oy woman to gei
shset; that most Of the uFwolyhy 81
cations are ..--,--.. Gu D.lv1e tlls pat
has hardly heard Of them, and that
nearly if not all the cases in WI
divorces are finally granted any reas
able jury OF twelve men with the 81
testimony before them would have
difficulty in reaching verdict approx
their action.
Those near enough to catch the eel
from the committee room will agree
what is wanted more than any tightel
Of legislative machinery in this direc
is the enactment of laws to compel
worthy husbands and fathers TO prop
provide for their wives and childrei
punish t,'o heartlsss, selfish and
ieserter from the domestic hearths
aud to send to the whipping post
cowardly brute who physically abuse;
woman he has vowed to love, cherish
protect. Legislation to remedy the
and second Of these evils is under
and there is reason TO trust that be
the close of this session the wife. bt
will find looming up before him IN
ware the same punishment that
proven so salutary in Maryland and
ginia. In this direction lies the
promising means of lessenipg the nui
Of applicants who, 50 long as legisl
stand upon the ground that they hay
right TO ignore the respectful pray
even the humblest constituent will
tinue to turn to the General Assemb
preference to the courts for relief.
-S-s-s---
The appointment, by the goyern'
his son to high Office is an act y
necessarily challenges criticism. Ii
the excuses offered in advance int
that criticism was anticipated. The
Encouragement Is young man Of
A.